The present invention generally relates to a detection system for use with a vehicle, and more specifically, to a system which utilizes the onboard hardware of a handheld communication device, such as a smartphone, to detect various milestones associated with a typical driving experience.
A typical driving experience generally involves several milestones, such as getting into a vehicle, starting the engine, placing the transmission in drive, riding in the moving vehicle, placing the transmission in park, turning the engine OFF, and exiting the vehicle. Progression through the milestones associated with a driving experience may have several consequences or may impact several related systems or devices.
One particular system which may be directly impacted by a driving experience of a particular driver is a corresponding fleet management system. Along these lines, a fleet manager may have an interest in detecting when one of the fleet's vehicles is idling, where the idling takes place, and how long the vehicle idles. For instance, if idling is detected for an extended period of time, the fleet manager may want to check-in with the driver to see if the driver is distracted by non-work related activities, or whether the driver is encountering an unexpected problem. For instance, the idling may be indicative of a traffic backup, which may require rerouting for related fleet vehicles.
Along these lines, fleet monitoring units are available, which comprise a dongle which is plug-connectable into a vehicle for receiving operational information therefrom. Such fleet monitoring units are dedicated units, which oftentimes require an initial acquisition fee, as well as a monthly service fee for enabling wireless communication between the detection unit and the fleet management facility. If each vehicle is equipped with a fleet monitoring unit, the aggregated cost of the overall fleet monitoring system may be significant.
Another commonly used device which is impacted by various milestones associated with a typical driving experience is the smartphone. Most smartphones are very powerful devices capable of performing several different functionalities. For instance, a smartphone may be capable of running several different manually-operated functionalities, such as texting, emailing, calendaring, note-taking, games, social networking, etc. Smartphones may also be capable of performing several functions which require minimal manual input, such talking over the phone, streaming music, generating acoustic alerts, etc.
Many jurisdictions have implemented laws which limit certain functions on a smartphone when the vehicle is being driven. For instance, several states have created laws which prohibit texting and driving. Although drivers tend to be aware of such laws, drivers oftentimes do not abide by the law, as drivers oftentimes execute such manually operated functions out of habit.
In view of the foregoing, it is clear that achieving various milestones during a driving experience has a significant impact on various related systems, such as fleet management and smartphones. As such, there is an apparent need in the art for easily detecting the various milestones associated with the driving experience.